The near-unanimous nomination of Tammam Salam to form a new government in Lebanon indicates that a comfort zone has been established for a needed transitional period the country has been going through for the past few years. Salam maintains a distance from polarizing politics and recalls the earlier peaceful coexistence that characterized his father’s era. In other words, he is a comforting figure for a large segment of the Lebanese population.

It is, however, necessary that while his cabinet is a transitional one to supervise the next elections, it is vital that it include figures and personalities who are independent, well established, known for objectivity in their policies and have achieved, in their various pursuits, impressive results. These should include people who have not been immersed in the sectarian politics of Lebanon and have instead served civil society, advocated for human development and civil rights. It is crucial that women be strongly represented in this new, transitional cabinet.

Such a composition would guarantee the integrity of the electoral process as well as project an equal level of comfort for citizens after a period of turmoil.

Clovis Maksoud is a former ambassador and permanent observer of the League of Arab States at the United Nations and was its chief representative in the United States for more than 10 years.